The invention relates to an industrial truck with a drive part which comprises an electrical travel drive, a load part which comprises a load carrying means and which may be lifted relative to the drive part, a battery receiving space and an energy module which may be handled manually, which may be inserted into the battery receiving space and which comprises a battery for supplying power to the travel drive, the energy module having a defined installed position in the state inserted into the battery receiving space.
Electrically driven industrial trucks are provided with batteries, the capacity thereof being dimensioned so that the industrial truck may be operated for a specific time with a fully charged battery independently of a power supply, for example for the duration of a shift of an industrial truck which is operated in shifts. Subsequently, the batteries are more or less fully discharged so that recharging is required. If the industrial truck is intended to be ready for use soon after, the discharged battery may be replaced by a fully charged battery. In order to simplify this, it is known to insert the battery in a battery receiving space. Batteries of conventional construction (lead accumulators) with the required capacity are frequently so heavy that a hoist is required for the replacement thereof. Batteries of smaller capacity or newer technology, in particular lithium-ion-accumulators, however, may be handled manually.
A low-lift truck comprising a battery compartment for receiving a battery is disclosed in the publication DE 10 2007 034 743 A1 the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. The battery receiving space encloses the battery partially to the side and at the bottom and has a wall facing the battery with slot-shaped recesses. Guide pins arranged on the rear face of the battery engage in these recesses when the battery is inserted from above into the battery receiving space. For removal, the battery is pulled upwards out of the battery receiving space.
It is also known to insert a battery from the side into a battery receiving space of an industrial truck. To this end, the publication DE 199 56 623 A1 the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference discloses a battery with rollers attached to the side, which roll on rails on the inner faces of the battery receiving space.
Proceeding therefrom, it is the object of the invention to provide an industrial truck according to the preamble of Claim 1, in which the energy module comprising the battery may be replaced particularly easily and at the same time is held securely in the battery receiving space.
This object is achieved by the industrial truck having the features of Claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are set forth in the accompanying sub-claims. The industrial truck has a drive part which comprises an electrical travel drive, a load part which comprises a load carrying means and which may be lifted relative to the drive part, a battery receiving space and an energy module which may be handled manually, which may be inserted into the battery receiving space and which comprises a battery for supplying power to the travel drive, the energy module having a defined installed position in the state inserted into the battery receiving space. The battery receiving space encloses the energy module in the inserted state so that the energy module is not displaceable in the defined installed space but may only be removed from the battery receiving space after being tilted, during the tilting process an upper end of the energy module being moved by a predetermined angle about a horizontal pivot axis.
The industrial truck may be a low-lift industrial truck. It may be a pedestrian truck, in particular a drawbar-guided industrial truck. However, it may also be a ride-on vehicle or a vehicle with an operator platform in which an operator can travel along standing upright. The electrical travel drive has an electric motor, a drive wheel and optionally a gearbox. The drive wheel may be designed to be steerable, in particular by means of a drawbar. A steering drive may be present.
The energy module has a battery for supplying power to the travel drive. Further electrical consumers of the industrial truck may also be supplied with power, for example a steering drive. In particular, all further electrical consumers may be supplied with power from the battery. The energy module may contain a plurality of cells of a battery and have a housing in which the cells are accommodated. The energy module may be handled manually, i.e. lifted by an operator without a separate hoist and inserted into the battery receiving space. The defined installed position which the energy module adopts in the battery receiving space is predetermined by the dimensions of the battery receiving space and of the energy module being adapted to one another. For example, the energy module may be substantially cuboidal and held upright in the battery receiving space.